Occupation and risk of severe COVID-19: prospective cohort study of 120 075 UK Biobank participants

Mutambudzi, M. et al. (2021) Occupation and risk of severe COVID-19: prospective cohort study of 120 075 UK Biobank participants. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 78(5), pp. 307-314. (doi: 10.1136/oemed-2020-106731) (PMID:33298533)

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate severe COVID-19 risk by occupational group. Methods: Baseline UK Biobank data (2006–10) for England were linked to SARS-CoV-2 test results from Public Health England (16 March to 26 July 2020). Included participants were employed or self-employed at baseline, alive and aged <65 years in 2020. Poisson regression models were adjusted sequentially for baseline demographic, socioeconomic, work-related, health, and lifestyle-related risk factors to assess risk ratios (RRs) for testing positive in hospital or death due to COVID-19 by three occupational classification schemes (including Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) 2000). Results: Of 120 075 participants, 271 had severe COVID-19. Relative to non-essential workers, healthcare workers (RR 7.43, 95% CI 5.52 to 10.00), social and education workers (RR 1.84, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.82) and other essential workers (RR 1.60, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.45) had a higher risk of severe COVID-19. Using more detailed groupings, medical support staff (RR 8.70, 95% CI 4.87 to 15.55), social care (RR 2.46, 95% CI 1.47 to 4.14) and transport workers (RR 2.20, 95% CI 1.21 to 4.00) had the highest risk within the broader groups. Compared with white non-essential workers, non-white non-essential workers had a higher risk (RR 3.27, 95% CI 1.90 to 5.62) and non-white essential workers had the highest risk (RR 8.34, 95% CI 5.17 to 13.47). Using SOC 2000 major groups, associate professional and technical occupations, personal service occupations and plant and machine operatives had a higher risk, compared with managers and senior officials. Conclusions: Essential workers have a higher risk of severe COVID-19. These findings underscore the need for national and organisational policies and practices that protect and support workers with an elevated risk of severe COVID-19.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: COVID-19, occupation, work, employment, healthcare worker.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Jani, Dr Bhautesh and Hastie, Dr Claire and Demou, Dr Evangelia and Ho, Dr Frederick and Gill, Professor Jason and Welsh, Professor Paul and Anderson, Dr Jana and Nicholl, Dr Barbara and Mair, Professor Frances and Niedzwiedz, Dr Claire and O'Donnell, Professor Kate and Katikireddi, Professor Vittal and Mutambudzi, Dr Miriam and Celis, Dr Carlos and MacDonald, Professor Ewan and Pell, Professor Jill and Leyland, Professor Alastair and Cleland, Professor John and Mackay, Professor Daniel and Sattar, Professor Naveed
• Authors: Mutambudzi, M., Niedzwiedz, C. L., Macdonald, E. B., Leyland, A. H., Mair, F. S., Anderson, J. J., Celis-Morales, C. A., Cleland, J. G., Forbes, J., Gill, J. M.R., Hastie, C. E., Ho, F. K., Jani, B. D., Mackay, D. F., Nicholl, B. I., O'Donnell, C. A., Sattar, N., Welsh, P., Pell, J. P., Katikireddi, S. V., and Demou, E.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > General Practice and Primary Care; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Robertson Centre
• Journal Name: Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• ISSN: 1351-0711
• ISSN (Online): 1470-7926
• Published Online: 09 December 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine 78(5): 307-314
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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• Author

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72765	1	Measuring and Analysing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health	Alastair Leyland	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MC_UU_12017/13	HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
72765	1	Measuring and Analysing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health	Alastair Leyland	Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)	SPHSU13	HW - MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
302182		A machine learning approach to understanding comorbidity between mental and physical health conditions	Claire Niedzwiedz	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MR/R024774/1	SHW - Public Health
172690		Understanding the impacts of welfare policy on health: A novel data linkage study	Srinivasa Katikireddi	Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSO)	SCAF/15/02	SHW - Public Health